Arsenal news: 'Mad' Martin Odegaard theory emerges as Gunners star drops hint on future

Arsenal have been tipped to conclude two major pieces of business this summer as the future of two veteran stars comes under the microscope

Arsenal's victory lap as Premier League champions is well underway as the club looks to strengthen this summer. But improvements to a squad don't always relate to new arrivals.

Mikel Arteta's side are enjoying a well-deserved break after finally ending the club's 22-year search for a Premier League title. And although the Gunners came undone in the Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, there's plenty of cause for optimism around the Emirates.

That being said, the club is at a crossroads following one major pundit's suggestion to sell one of the squad's most valuable stars. Mirror Football explores all that and more in the latest Arsenal headlines to start the week.

Odegaard tipped for exit

Arsenal icon Paul Merson has touted club captain Martin Odegaard of all people for a shock summer exit. Just weeks after celebrating Premier League glory and skippering his side in the Champions League decider, Odegaard is being tipped for a move away.

The Norwegian has acted as the fulcrum of Arteta's team effectively since he arrived in north London back in 2021. However, Merson wouldn't be the first to ask questions regarding whether he represents the long-term future of Arsenal.

"It’s madness for me to be saying this but they probably will be thinking about that [selling Odegaard]," he said on The Sports Agents. "But for me, I still think there’ll be teams queuing round the block for him…

"When you play in the position that Odegaard plays in, you’re screaming out for pace up front. You have to have pace."

Odegaard, 27, had numerous stints out of the squad due to injury this season and was unavailable for 30 games overall. Even when supposedly fit, however, it wasn't necessarily a given he would start as Eberechi Eze offered an alternative route.

It's also a potential worry for the captain that Myles Lewis-Skelly's emergence as a first-team midfield prospect has only added more competition.

The playmaker is due to enter the last 12 months of his contract and is one of the club's top earners on £240,000 a week. From a financial perspective, Merson may be right that it's more prudent to part ways now rather than award him a new long-term deal on improved terms.

As ruthless as it may feel for someone who played a leading role in ending Arsenal's Premier League drought, Odegaard's future is also a business matter. Another solution could be to offer Odegaard a shorter-term extension to delay any split for now, though it's not outside the realms of possibility that Arsenal are already weighing up their options.

Trossard cryptic over Arsenal future

Speaking of Emirates departures, Leandro Trossard is another experienced figure at the club being linked with an exit. And the Belgian has himself effectively admitted his future at Arsenal is very much up for discussion.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of World Cup 2026, Trossard said he didn't believe his status in the national team had changed now he's a Premier League-winner. However, the winger was considerably less forthcoming when detailing his future in north London.

"I am still an Arsenal player, and we’ll see what happens this summer," said the 31-year-old when describing his current club situation. And those comments are far from a ringing endorsement to suggest he's certainly staying beyond this summer.

Instead, Trossard's response was more indicative of a player who knows there may be developments in the offing. He's soon to enter the final 12 months of his deal with the Gunners and there seems little chance of an extension given Trossard turns 32 in December.

The former Brighton talisman is being linked with Turkish club Besiktas, who have raised interest in his services in the past. However, it's likely any resolution regarding Trossard's future will have to wait until after his World Cup campaign is over.